Lucille Clifton first African-American woman to win U.S. poetry prize

Lucille Clifton, a St. Mary's, Md.,-based poet and children's author, has won the $100,000 US Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, one of the largest and most prestigious U.S. literary honours.

She becomes the first African-American woman to win the prize, which honours lifetime accomplishment by a U.S. poet.

Clifton has published 11 books of poetry, including two that were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, one book of prose and 19 children's books.

"Lucille Clifton is a powerful presence and voice in American poetry," Christian Wiman, editor of Poetry magazine and chair of the selection committee, said in a statement on Monday that announced Clifton's win.

"Her poems are at once outraged and tender, small and explosive, sassy and devout. She sounds like no one else, and her achievement looks larger with each passing year."